Balverine
A Balverine is a werewolf-like enemy; they have appeared in every Fable game to date. History In ancient times there was a creature named the Balvorn, which was much more vile and savage than a Balverine. It feasted upon thousands of humans at a time. There was only one man who survived its attacks, and that man became the first Balverine. Citizens of Albion seem to be afraid of these beasts, and with good reason: Balverines can infect others, turning them into Balverines through a bite. Perhaps because of their terrifying qualities, some have been captured and put into venues like the Arena and Crucible for gladiatorial purposes. Their natural aggressive tendencies make them perfect opponents of Heroes in the battlefield. APOCRYPHA WARNING: The following information is derived from Fable: The Balverine Order. Following the ascent of a Hero to the Throne of Albion, the population of Balverines was driven farther east. It has been stated that the creatures were driven eastward to a land less "tamed" by the machinery and mundane innovations of man, like many other mythical races. Tales have indicated that currently the most notable population of Balverines exists in the forests near Sutcliff. Within the forests of Sutcliff, there is located a large temple-like structure. The date of construction for the temple, or its exact builders, is currently unknown, however it is currently the headquarters for an organization known as the Balverine Order. The Balverine Order is a collection of highly sophisticated Balverines, headed by a particularly powerful Balverine known as Lugaru, who rule over their lesser counterparts. The purpose of the order is to slowly subvert the human race by turning its most powerful and prominent figures into members of the Balverine Order. The Order then plans to use their new stationary power to overthrow the dominance of humanity and lay waste to its civilization, thus returning the world to a more natural state that is better suited to the Balverine Race. The Balverine Order was discovered by a man named Quentin Locke, who proceeded to research and hunt the Order. Eventually he traced the order to Sutcliff and a man named Ethan Kreel, Laird of Sutcliff. Locke suspected Kreel was a member of the Balverine order, but could not be sure, so he infiltrated a Balverine hunting expedition organized by Laird Kreel as a servant. Locke also encountered Thomas Kirkman and James Skelton, two youths looking to hunt Balverines to avenge Thomas' brother's death. During the expedition, Kreel lured the hunting party into the forest and a trap arranged by the Balverine Order. All of the servants were immediately slain and consumed by Balverines except Locke, who managed to escape undetected. The more prominent individuals, including two nobles, Thomas and James, and a dean of a notable school, were captured and taken to the Balverine Temple to by transformed into Balverines at midnight. Locke, who had tracked the Balverines back to the temple, rescued Thomas and James before they could be taken inside and escaped back to Sutcliff. Once in Sutcliff they returned to the mansion of Laird Kreel, which was revealed to have formerly been a Hall of Heroes. Inside, the three discovered the final resting place of three of the most powerful Heroes in history: the Hero of Will, the Hero of Skill, and the Hero of Strength. This was the tomb of the Triumvirate, a near unstoppable team of Heros who had secured themselves and their power within the tomb to keep it protected from the forces of evil. Inside, Locke, Kirkman, and Skelton proceeded to collect the artifacts of the Triumvirate and become the Triumvirate themselves (temporarily). Using their new-found powers, the Triumvirate returned to the Temple and launched a full assault. They slaughtered many Balverines (possibly hundreds), killed Lugaru himself, and rescued the captured nobility and dean. Afterwards, at least Locke went on to hunt the remaining members of the Balverine Order. This culminated when Locke shot and killed a duke from a neighbouring country to Albion, who turned out to be a member of the Order. Locke presumed this to be the last member of the Order, however this has not been confirmed. End of Apocrypha Warning Characteristics They share certain similarities with werewolves such as a wolf-like appearance with black or brown fur and piercing yellow eyes, and their supposed vulnerability to silver (in Fable II, this is stated as superstition, but the silver nitrate lamps in Fable III imply otherwise). Balverines are also much stronger than a normal human and even rival heroes in physical strength as displayed by their lean musculature, and unique ability to jump high into the air disappearing for several seconds before landing again. APOCRYPHA WARNING: The following information is derived from Fable: The Balverine Order. They have been shown to be capable of a level of sophistication not previously considered possible, as evidenced by the formation of the Balverine Order. There are at least two classes of Balverines: the lesser Balverines who are the remnants of men bitten but not killed during a Balverine attack, and the greater Balverines who were bitten and turned at midnight during the course of a full Moon. The higher Balverines are extremely sophisticated and much more powerful than their lesser counterparts. Higher Balverines can also change form at will and are capable of human speech. It is evident that the higher Balverines essentially rule over their lesser cousins, whom they seem to regard as little more than beasts. End of Apocryphal Warning White Balverine Fable White Balverines are supposedly normal people who were bitten during a full moon. They seem to be Alpha Males within Balverine packs as they can summon lesser Balverines at will by howling. An elusive White Balverine also haunts the area near Knothole Glade before the Hero silences it. The White Balverine was a man who was transformed after killing a previous White Balverine threatening the village. His wife mourns his loss, and helps the Hero kill the beast her husband has become. To help the Hero, the woman gives him a Silver Augmentation to take advantage of the Balverines' weakness to silver. You can world save before the quest, then get the silver augmentation and hero save. Then you must load the previous world save and you will have the silver augmentation and then you can get another one when you re-do the quest. The best weapon to use in this method is the Obsidian Greathammer you find near the Witchwood stones. With the two silver augmentations on your weapon the White Balverine will be dead within around seven hits. This is a good method but you don't really need to use it. White Balverines are also present in the Arena. Surprisingly, although it is said in the White Balverine Quest that only weapons with Silver Augmentations can harm the White Balverine, it is unnecessary to use them, although it increases your damage greatly. It is also interesting to note that in the quest where the chief's son is held for ransom, if you pay the ransom then there is also a white balverine, which does not go at all with what the chief said, because even though there are white balverines in the arena, they are not free roaming. They also appear in Oakvale if you kill 1019 guards and will keep respawning. A Hero's Tale A White Balverine also killed the parents of the Hero of Southcliff and attacked Giles in A Hero's Tale. The Balverine later appears at the Hero of Southcliff's wedding, and takes his would-be spouse to the castle on the hill for a final climatic showdown. After the Hero triumphs the White Balverine, it somehow turns into the Duke of Southcliff, who begs for mercy, and claims that the curse has been broken. The Hero can chose to kill the Duke or not, but regardless the crown is passed to the Hero, who either becomes a benevolent leader, a tyrant, or walks away. Fable II There is also a White Balverine in Fable II. It is encountered in Westcliff, when you are journeying to enter the Crucible. On your way you will find a woman saying she was attacked by Balverines; however, she is actually a White Balverine in disguise (and if you shoot her repeatedly, she will laugh and jump away, sparing you of all the talking on the way). She will ask you to save her son that was taken by the Balverines, but she will lead you into a nest of Balverines in the Howling Halls. Once you have killed all the normal ones, she will yell "you killed my children, you shall pay," and she will come rushing towards you. She is bigger, faster and stronger than other Balverines, so be ready. There are others to be found in the Crucible and The Colosseum. Frost Balverines Frost Balverines are essentially regular Balverines, but with ragged white fur (not to be confused with White Balverines). Not much is known of Frost Balverines, except for the fact that they live in the Northern Wastes. They are much more dangerous than the regular Balverines but weaker than white Balverines, and will deliver a much bigger punch. The white coat of the Frost Balverines could be compared to the coat of an arctic wolf, used for camouflage. It could also be they just have snow stuck in their fur. Something to remember is that the old kingdom was originally settled in the Northern Wastes, so every living thing there is a closer direct descendant than the creatures in the rest of Albion. That would mean that the Frost Balverines are more closely related to the original Balvorn spoken of by the Oracle. This might explain their increased strength and viciousness over the normal balverines. It might also offer a clue as to what the Balvorn looked like. Frost Balverines are found anywhere in the Northern Wastes. During the Necropolis glyph-finding quest, Frost Balverines repeatedly spawn on bridges and narrow enclosures. At this point in the game however, the player is likely to have some of the most powerful weapons and spells, so despite their toughness the frost Balverines don't pose a great threat. Blooded Balverines Unlike regular balverines, which have a greyish brown complexion, these balverines have a dark brick-red colour, combined with a tinge of brown. At first glance, they look like ordinary balverines. But if you study them, you will find that their fur coats are pigmented differently. They can mainly be found in balverine-infested areas of Fable II and Fable III, such as Westcliff and Silverpines, but may also lead a pack in place of a white balverine in other areas. Although not as skilled as white balverines, these foes are much stronger and faster than a regular balverine, and do not share their weakness to fire. Leading small packs of 3-4 balverines, blooded balverines are second in command, commanded by white balverines. They usually let their pack charge in and assault the Hero first. And, once most of their "brothers" are out of the fight, the blooded balverine rushes in. Much more evasive, they tend to make hit-and-run attacks, like grabbing the Hero, making powerful slashing attacks with their claws, then barrel-rolling away. The best weapon to use against them are swords. Dispatch these enemies by using a flourish, and then stabbing them in the chest. Attacks Balverines are able to attack with their claws as well as by jumping towards their victim. They are also able to jump high into the air (completely out of sight) disappearing for several seconds before landing again, usually behind you. However, this can be countered by simply turning around when as soon as the Balverine jumps. Balverines tend to use short, fast combo attacks and they can also lunge at you from quite a distance. Often Balverines will jump high off the screen, but before they do so they will howl for a second or so, attack them or heal yourself at that time. Location Balverines are common all over Albion. They can be found in Darkwood and Witchwood amongst other places, including the Witchwood Arena, where they are kept captive but still vicious to be used to challenge heroes competing in the Arena. In Fable II Balverines return in Fable II, and are first encountered on the road to Westcliff. They have their own dungeon, called the Howling Halls, that the player must get through to get to the Westcliff Camp. Also, they are fought in the arena known as The Crucible. During the Hero of Skill quest, while returning the Shadow Seal to its owner, you must fight several Shadows that act and fight like Balverines. While travelling along the Westcliff Road, a woman named Lilith requests your help saving her son from Balverines. However, she betrays you to her "children" (balverines) for food before jumping out of sight. This indicates the ability to shape-shift and greater intelligence for the more advanced Balverines, she reappears later after the Hero defeats all her "Children" as a White Balverine. Poison Balverines In the DLC pack See the Future, a new variation of Balvarine can be fought. During the "Cursed Skull" quest, the Hero must fight waves of "Poison Balverines". These Balverines are similar to white Balverines, only they have a green tinge to their fur, emit a green smoke, and when hit by a poison Balverine, the player's screen will begin to go hazy after a few seconds, similar to if the player's hero was drunk. In Fable III They are first encountered in Reaver's Manor, after Reaver's party guests transform and attack The Hero and Page. They can later be encountered in Silverpines, Millfields, Mistpeak Valley and Hero of Bowerstone's Tomb They also seem to have the ability to take on human form and live in Albion amongst its population. Once you become the ruler of Albion, you will receive a quest in which a noble wants to donate a valuable balverine statue worth 500,000 gold. However, when you arrive to claim it, you are informed that it has been stolen. In order to retrieve it, you must travel to Silverpines where there is a village under near-constant threat from balverines. When you confront the thief, he is revealed to be Connor, a villager who was exiled into the dangerous forest for falling asleep on watch. Yearning for revenge, he offers to give you the statue and let you leave unscathed if you destroy the village's silver nitrate torches, which are its only real defense against the balverines. This, however, is a good/evil decision, and if you refuse, he will order the balverines to attack and you must rush back to the village to help defend it. Once you defeat many of the balverines, Connor will arrive and transform into a white balverine and you must defeat him and claim the statue from a villager who found it on his body. If the Hero chooses to aid the balverines by destroying the torches, the village will change. New residents named "(Name) the Thug" will begin to appear, and if attacked, will show their true forms by transforming into balverines and attacking, supporting the notion that Balverines have the ability to evolve and adapt. In the Traitor's Keep DLC, balverines can be found running wild at the Godwin Estate, and many have been subjected to experimentation by the island's sole resident, Mary Godwin. As a result, they can be seen cooperating with Hollow Men in their attacks, and Mary has apparently been successful in creating Poison Balverines. Similar to the Poison Balverines seen in the Fable II DLC See the Future, they are as large and as powerful as White Balverines, but have greenish fur and an overall ragged appearance. Their attacks can cause the Hero's vision to become blurry if they are able to land multiple hits. They are first seen in the bowels of the mansion, just before the final confrontation with Mary, who has them submerged in tanks. They break out and attack when the Hero and Commander Milton approach. Upon return trips to Godwin Estate, Poison Balverines will spawn on the grounds. Trivia *The Balverine, a wolf-like creature, is encountered long before actual wolves, which did not appear until Fable III. *A non-hostile Balverine is found in a cage by the door entering the Arena. If you kill it, everyone will exclaim as though you killed an innocent person. *The name "Balverine" is likely taken from "wolverine", a mammal in the weasel family known for its incredible ferocity. *With information provided by Lilith and Reaver's party guests, it can be concluded that at some point in time the Balverines evolved so that they could maintain a human appearance and transform at will, rather than remain in their monster form indefinitely. *In Fable II, Sister Hannah sings a song mentioning White Balverines. *Balverines are most commonly encountered in the presence of rain or at night. *In Fable II, if you use the Will ability "Shock" on a Balverine, it will show a human skeleton during the effect. Also, when you kill a Balverine with Shock, a rather elongated human skeleton will remain, as if Balverines have a bone structure similar to humans. This makes sense, as Balverines are transformed humans, much like werewolves. *Balverines in Fable II are weaker than the ones in Fable and Fable: The Lost Chapters, possibly because they are considered common enemies now. However, their difficulty is restored in Fable III. *A good tactic to avoid the Balverine's pounce attack in Fable II is to wait until the creature has leaped closer to you and roll out of the way, giving you enough time to launch a counter attack. *Another good tactic to use on Balverines in Fable II is to use the Time Control Will ability to rush towards the Balverine. This tactic rivals the speed of the Balverine's pouncing technique. *Balverines will never bite the player and will only use their claws to attack, giving no opportunity for the player to become infected. *As shown in Fable, when a person starts changing into a Balverine they start acting like it, for example they would start craving human flesh. *Also when someone does change into a Balverine a red mist circles around them. *The description of Howling Cheese seems to suggest that Balverines are capable of producing milk, though how, and why, one would 'milk' a Balverine are unknown, but the prospect is quite comical. *Most Balverine encounters have the player being attacked by two or more Balverines. *White Balverines are known to be humans who were bitten by a Balverine during a full moon, unlike regular balverines who were humans bitten at any time. *It is mentioned by Reaver that the guests at his party were part of a secret society. This may be a reference to The Balverine Order from Fable: The Balverine Order By Peter David. *In Fable III , Balverines count as large enemies for the purposes of Legendary Weapon upgrades. *In Fable II, Balverines seem vulnerable to fire. The Will ability Inferno can kill a normal Balverine quickly, and a higher level can kill several in one casting. *It is mentioned by Reaver in Fable III that he "toyed" with the idea of becoming a Balverine himself, but then he says that his pretty face was worth more. *In the original Fable and TLC, if you stab a dead Balverine, you can still hear its growl. *In some Slovanian translations of Fable series are Balverines translated as Werewolves. Gallery Balverines.jpg|A pair of Balverines Balverine Closeup.jpg Balverine1.jpg|One of Reaver's Balverine guests from Fable III Balverine westcliff.jpg Frostbalverine.jpg|A Frost Balverine from TLC Image balverine.jpg White Balverine.jpg Balverine suit.jpg|The Balverine Suit Balverine Connor.jpg Follow Connor.jpg|Connor from Fable III in Balverine form See Also *Balverine Suit *Balvorn *Howling Halls Category:Fable Enemies Category:Fable II Enemies Category:Fable III Enemies Category:Fable: The Balverine Order